1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an upright type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to an upright type vacuum cleaner, wherein a nozzle unit, a main body and a handle can be used in various configurations and at different angles.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view showing the structure of a conventional upright type vacuum cleaner. Referring to FIG. 1, the upright type vacuum cleaner roughly comprises a main body 1, a suction nozzle unit 3 and a handle 5. The main body 1 contains a motor for generating suction force sucking foreign materials such as dust, and a filtering means for filtering out the foreign materials entrained in sucked air. A switch 2 is provided at a side of an outer surface of the main body 1 to turn on or off the motor.
The suction nozzle unit 3 is connected to the main body 1 so that the suction nozzle unit can pivot on a shaft with respect to the main body 1 in a predetermined angular range. Accordingly, when not in use, as shown in FIG. 1, the main body 1 maintains an upright state with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3. When in use, the main body 1 is inclined at a certain angle with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3 seated on a place to be cleaned. Here, in order to release the main body 1 from the upright state with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3, a releasing pedal 3′ is provided at a rear end of the suction nozzle unit 3.
Meanwhile, the suction nozzle unit 3 serves to suck foreign materials existing on the place to be cleaned together with air. To this end, a suction inlet is formed in a bottom face of the suction nozzle unit 3. The suction inlet communicates with the motor in the main body 1 through a connecting hose 4.
The handle 5 is formed to be elongated at an upper end of the main body 1. When in use, the handle is grasped by a user. The handle 5 is formed integrally with the main body 1.
The suction nozzle unit 3 is provided with wheels 7 for allowing the suction nozzle unit to smoothly move. In addition to the wheels 7, of course, it is preferred that a separate roller be provided on the bottom face of the suction nozzle unit 3. In the figure, reference numeral 9 designates a power cord.
The conventional upright type vacuum cleaner constructed as above is kept in a state where the main body 1 is stood upright with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3 as shown in FIG. 1. When in use, a locking state between the main body 1 and the suction nozzle unit 3 is released by pressing the releasing pedal 3′. Thereafter, the user grasps the handle 5 and can move the suction nozzle unit 3 in a state where the main body 1 is inclined at a certain angle with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3.
When the user then turns on the switch 2 to operate the motor, foreign materials such as dust existing on a place to be cleaned are sucked together with air through the suction inlet of the suction nozzle unit 3 by means of the suction force. The foreign materials and air are sucked through the connecting hose 4 and pass through the filtering means mounted in the main body 1 to filter out the foreign materials. The air from which the foreign materials are filtered out is discharged to the outside of the main body 1.
The conventional vacuum cleaner described above has problems as follows.
That is, in the conventional upright type vacuum cleaner, since the main body 1 can freely pivot at certain angles with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3, the user can perform cleaning work while maintaining an angle formed between the main body and the suction nozzle unit according to the user's physique. However, in a case where the user intends to insert the suction nozzle unit 3 into a place under furniture, particularly, into a farthest place under the furniture, the main body 1 should be significantly lowered and thus the user should considerably bend his/her back.
With such a structure in which only the main body 1 pivots with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3 at certain angles, there is a problem in that users having different physiques cannot conveniently use the vacuum cleaner under various conditions.
Further, since the handle 5 extends upward from the main body 1 and the vacuum cleaner 1 should be kept in a state where the main body maintains an upright state with respect to the suction nozzle unit 3, there is a problem in that an overall height of the vacuum cleaner is excessively large, thereby increasing a space required for keeping the vacuum cleaner.